Floor construction



Jan. 19, 1932. w. P. KELLETT 1,841,819

FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 21, 1929 AInvenzar. Wil/iam P Kel/e ff.

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNiTED STATES PArErrr OFFICE WILLIAM PLATTS KELLETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLOOR` CONSTRUCTION Application filed January 21, 1929. Serial No. 333,933.

f in the novel method of laying such metal members on a plastic base.

Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a section of floor showing the manner of laying the metal surfacing in multiple units.

Figure 2 is a perspective viewshowing the underside of one of the multiple unit surfacing members.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective detail showing the construction of the sheet metal surfacing units.

Figure l is an enlarged cross-sectional tail of a section of the floor.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the blanks.

Figure 6 is a section of a'car floor.

In warehouses, factories, freight handling platforms and railway freight cars where wheel trucks are continually used carrying heavy loads, cement floors are pulverized on 1 the surface and wood floors are scored and chipped and it is desirable to provide a surface which will obviate these diiculties other than by the use of boiler plate which is costly and difficult to retain in place.

In carrying this invention into effect flanged sheet metal blocks A are produced which are adapted to be fitted together and i bedded into a plastic base.

These sheet metal blocks may be of any desirable shape but as are herein shown, they are 0f an oblong form and are pressed up from blanks l as shown particularly in Figure 5, the flanges 2 and 3 being notched at the corners and having elongated slots 4 in the centre of the length of the side flanges 3 and short slots 5 adjacent to each of the ends, also holes 6 are arranged preferably one-quarter of the length of the block from each end and holes 7' are punched in the top of the sheet. l

rEhe blank thus formed is pressed up, being Vflanged along the dotted line 8 so that the corners will be drawn below the flat top surface. y

The under structure of the flooring may be concretebnt it is preferable to lay a surface of asphalt on a concrete base.

rlhe flanged metal membersV are bedded into the concrete or asphalt base while it is in its plastic form and fit snugly together.

The air holes 7 formed in the top faces of the block allow the escape of air from underneath the flanged members as the flanges are forced downwardly into the plastic material and the plastic material Hows through the slots el and 5 interlocking the members together.

While these members may be placed in position individually in a manner similar to the laying of tile, it is preferable that they be. laid in multiple units and for that purpose thel side flanges are provided with the holes 6 arranged so that when the blocks are staggered the holes ofthe opposite ends of the blocks are in register and fastening pins or wires 9 are passed through the flanges of a suitable number of the blocks to form a unit which can be easily handled. Such unit may be ten or twelve feet long and from two to four feet or more in width. lt is flexible and can be readily placed in position and matched to blocks already laid and when placed on top .of the plastic foundation it is pressed slowly Vinto place so that theplastic fills in to the space between the flanges, thus supporting the sheet metal so that it will not dent.

ln assembling a plurality of blocks into a multiple unit, it may be found desirable to place washers l() between the adjacentside flanges through which the fastening pins 9 are threaded, thus spacing the longitudinal side flanges of the various members apart. This will allow the plastic material to flow upwardly partly between the flanges but particularly Will provide spaces to permit the reception of a plastic applied from the top, such as hot asphalt or tar, poured over the surface to fill in the cracks.

This will eliminate the gathering of dust i and dirt and will also act to completely deaden any Yresonance,that might possibly exist in thenitallie structure.

Flanged sheet metal blocks as tile for covering walls but it is believed to be entirely new to utilize such metal structures as a floor covering and particularly to embed such devices in a more or less resilient plastic. This arrangement produces a very novel and useful result. In the Y,pplication gif. the inventionto railmi); cars as shown in ig. 6, corrugated metal plates 11 are placed across the car beams and alceinent base 12, of a suitable plastic composition is laid thereon and the flanged metal blocks A are bedded in the plastic base.

' What I claim as my invention is:

. A.1'. A. method of constructing a floor or other surface, consisting in preparing a suitf able base pivotally connecting a flanged block atspaced points in its length with a plurality of other an ed blocks to form flexible groups, then p acing said groups on said base 1n -twerlapped relation.

2., AA lmethod of constructing a floor or Other'surface consisting in providing a plastic base, 'votally connecting a plurality of flanged ks together in break-joint overlapped relation by' threading a length of wire rod through aligned openings in the flanges oi blocks,vvbending the end of the length of wire laterally to prevent withdrawal thereof, placing the connected group of blocks ony the plastic base, and applying pressure thereto to embed the flanges of the blocks in the base.

p 3. In a floor surface, blocks having downturned side flanges, each of said blocks having pintlc openings in the side flaimes s raced equidistant from the ends of the Iiloclli, the interlock openings in the side flanges of said blocks adapted to register to form interconnections between the interiors of the respective blocks, pintle openings of one of said blocks being adapted to register with the pintle openings of a plurality of other blocks, and pinsextending through the registering plntle openings and pivotally connecting the locks in a flexible group with said interlock openings in permanent register.

4. In a floor surface, blocks having downturned side flanges, each of said blocks having pintle openings in the side flanges adapted @Q reglster when said blocks are placed in owerrgin relation, and a length of Wire thre t rough the openings in said side flanges and pivotally connecting a plurality of-sa1d blocks together, the ends of said wires being displaced laterally to lock the blocks against separation.

5. A multiple avin r unit com rising a group of blocks fliinge downwar ly at the sides and having openings yin the flanges, said blocks being pivotally connected together by their flanges in staggered break-joint relation with flange openings in register.

6. In a floor surface, the combination with a plastic base, of a plurality of flanged sheet metal blocks having their flanges pivotally connected together at spaced points in the length thereof, the flanges being embedded in the base.

7. A wear-resistin surface comprising a plurality of flanged Iilocks formed of sheet metal adapted to be placed side by side and embedded in a plastic base, the adjacent side flanges of said blocks havingtri le spaced openings.y adapted to register to orin intercoinmunication between the interiors of the respective blocks forming an interlock with the plastic material, and means for flexibly connecting said blocks in roiips with flange openings of the adjacent b ocks in permanent register.

8. In a floor surface, blocks having downturned slide flanges, eaci ofdsail blocksdhaving pinteopeningsint e'si'e anges a a ed to register ywhen said blocks are lagd in overlap relation, a length o wire threaded t rough the openings in said side flanges and pivotally connecting a plurality of said blocks to ether, the ends of said wire being displaced aterally to lock the blocks against separation, and spacing means nterposed between said blocks.

y 9. In a floor surface, blocks havi downturned side flanges, each of said bl having pintIe openings in the side flanges adapted to register when said blocks are placed in overlap ing relation, a len h of wire threaded trough the openings 1n Said side flan es` and pivotally connecting a plurality of said blocks together, the ends of said wire being displaced laterally to lock the blocks against separation, and spacing washers threaded on said lengths of wire between the adjacent side flanges of the blocks and spacing the latter apart.

WILLIAM PLATTS KELLETT. 

